Quick-opening snatch block



May 16, 1933. J. PETERSON QUICK OPENING SNATCH BLOCK Filed Nov. 13

INVENTOR Patented May 16, 1933 U I ED" STATES. PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH PETERSON, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN QUICK-OPENING SNATGI-IBLOGK Application filed November 13, 1931. Serial N0; 574,773.

This invention relates to quick-opening snatch blocks of the kind usedby lumbermen, telegraph .and telephone line-men, dock-workers and in various places where it is necessary to frequently disengage the block from its co-operating cable, and its principal object is to provide a block of the character specified in which removal and insertion of the cable may be quickly and easily-efi'ected.

Another object of my invention is to provide a block of the character specified in which the parts are securely locked in position at all times when the block is in use,

thereby eliminating the possibility of accidents due to the opening of the block While under load.

A further object of my said invention is to provide a block of the character specified which is simple in construction and operation and at the same time economical to manufacture. a

With these and-other objects in view the invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement andcombination of parts of a block of the character specified, which will'be hereinafter fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in

' Which- Figure 1 is a side elevation.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on hne 2-2 of Figure 1. 0

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on hne '3 ;S3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2, showing further details of the looking mechanism.

Figure 5 illustrates a modification.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 5 and Figure 7 is a section on line 77 of Figure 5.

Like characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, 1 and 2 are the side plates or cheeks, substantially circular in elevation connected together at their upper ends by bolts 3 and at their center by the bolt 4- The bolt 4: serves as an axle for the sheave 5 which is normally held in a bight of-lth'e v cable 6 as shown'in Figure 1. Secured to' the cheeks 1, 2 -by the bolt 7 andthe central bolt 4 are the loops ,8 formed of flat barsj g and bent to form at'their lower ends eyes 9 through which pass the cylindrical horizontal portions 12 of the hangers 1O and '11,

which are thereby suspended from the'said loops and are boredat their lower extremities to receive the trunnions 13, 14 of the, crosshe'ad 15, the latter having a centrall opening to receive the shank of the hookflfi in the manner well known in the art.

The trunnion 14.- of the crosshead is se-I cured permanently in position in its bearing in the hanger 11 by the collar 17, but v-t'he trunnion 13 is loosely fitted. in the hanger 10. and provided with a conoidal end as shown,'Which facilitates it-s'insertion into and withdrawal from itsbearing in'the said hanger. The trunnion 13 is further .;pro

. vided with the annular' groove -18 in which engages the lower end 20jof-thesliding block 19, so as toholdthe trunnion initsaplace within the hanger 10, as showninF-igureQ.

Upon the blo'ck. l-9, are ternal dovetailed portions 21 adapted to engage an internal dovetailed projection 22" upon the face of the hanger 10, and 'within a cavity formed 'halfin :thefbloek: 19 and projection 21' is 'a helicalfcomhalf in the a pression spring 23 which abuts upon the projection 24 on the block '19 and the projection '25 on the 'hanger'IO so as normally to press the block downwards and l'ockit he 'At the upper extremity of the block 1 9 is the projecting ledge 26 andl to the upper surface of this ledge is the locking late 27 secured to the ledge-26 by; rivet limit the movement of the block lt), as will be understood. H I I Upon the inner faces of;the hangers 10 and 11 are the frusto-conical projections 29 upon which is rotatably supportedthe guide roller 30 i which serves tokeep the cable Within the groove of the sheave 5.:

Assuming that the parts arein their normal positions as illustrated in Figure 2 and V and adapted-to bearon the projection 25 andthat it is desired to disengage the block from the bight of the cable 6, pressure is applied to the projecting ledge 26, raising the block 19 against the pressure of the spring 23 and withdrawing therlower portion 20 of the block 19 from the groove 18 of the trunnion 13, and the hanger 10 is then swung outwards into the position shown in broken lines at 101. The hanger 11 is then swung outwards into the position shown in broken lines at 111 carryingwith it the crosshead 15 and hook l6 and the guide roller is then removed which allows of the free passage of the cable 6 out of or into the groove of the sheave 5 as desired. I

When it is desired to close the block the hanger 11 is moved inwards until the hook assumes a vertical position and the hanger 10-is then brought into engagement with the trunnion 13, the part 20 of the block 19 sliding over the conoidal end of said trunnion and snapping into engagement with the groove 18, as will be understood.

"While in-the foregoing I'have referred to a single compression spring 23 as being employed for holding the block 19 in the locking position, I may'sometimes employ two springs, one coiled within the other, so that in case of failure of one of the said springs safety will be assured by the other.

Similarly, as shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, I may employ two independentv springs for this purpose. In this modification the sliding block 19 is retained in position by the channel-shapedmembers 31, secured by screws'32 to the hanger 10, which slidably engage the flanges 33 of the block 19.

-Within the adjoining faces ofthe block 19 arid the hanger 10 are the cylindrical cavities 34 in which" are contained the springs 35, 36, which serve to keep the lower portion 20 of the block 19 in engagement with the groove 18 of the trunnion13 in a similar manner to that hereinbeforedescribed in reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawing.

In Figure 5 there is shown in place of the hook 16 a tapered shank 37 terminating in a nut 38, which maybeused for various :purposeswhen special loads are to be handled. 7

While I have described and illustrated in the foregoing a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the same may be modified in various ways to meet any particular or peculiar requirement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention ashereinafter "claimed. For example, my improved construction may 'bereadily applied to a block in which two or more sheaves are employed instead of the'single sheave as, described above.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination with a flexible hoisting element, of a block comprising a pair of spaced complementary side members, an axle supported in said side members, a sheave mounted on said axle and engaging in a bight of said hoisting element, loadengaging means including a crosshead having a pair of opposed trunnions, a pair of suspensory members hinged to said side members and adapted to engage said trunnions,,one of said trunnions being permanently connected to its associated suspensory member while the other trunnion is detachable therefrom, means for securing said detachable trunnion in operative position, a guide roller intermediate of said sheave and said crosshead rotatably mounted upon said suspensory members, and means for releasing said roller when said block is opened to disengage said hoisting element.

2. The combination with a flexible hoisting element, of a block comprising a pair of spaced complementary side members, an axle supported in said side members, a sheave mounted on said axle and engaging in a bight of said hoistingeleme nt, load-engaging means including a crosshead having a pair of opposed trunnions, a pair of suspensory members hinged'to said side mem-- bers and adapted-to engage said trunnions, one of said trunnions being permanently connected to its associated suspensory member while the other trunnion is-detachabletherefrom, a guide roller intermediate of said sheave and saidcrosshead, projections on said suspensory members forrotatably supporting said guide roller and means for disengaging said roller from-said projections when the blockis opened. r

In testimony whereof -I aiflx my signature.-

' 1 J OSEPI'IPETERSON: 

